The purpose of the proposed study is to determine the extent to which the electrical potentials generated by an implanted piezoelectric ceramic, barium titanate (BaTiO3) can enhance osteogenic activity. The growth of tissue into porous implants has been well established as a feasible means of attaching load-bearing prostheses to the musculo-skeletal system. Attachment by ingrowth obviates most of the problems associated with other means of fixation but has itself the disadvantage that the patient must be immobilized for several weeks to permit sufficient ingrowth to insure stability. The stimulation of bone by imposed electrical potentials has been demonstrated for both fracture healing and bone growth into porous implants. The proposed study is aimed at evaluating the possibility of using the piezoelectric effect to produce such electrical potentials. If effective, this system would eliminate the need for transcutaneous electrical leads or implanted, battery-operated 'power packs'. The actual prosthesis/tissue interfacial tensile strength will be measured and the kinetics of the tissue ingrowth will be determined quantitatively by a combination of wet chemical assaying and microscopic techniques. Carefully machined tensile specimens will be made to test the strengths of the union and comparisons will be made between the polarized and non-polarized (control) samples. Porous barium titanate with a constant pore size of approximately 100 microns will be used since it is strongly piezoelectric and has been shown to be biocompatible when implanted in the body.